Our Spring 2013 Semester at Sea Voyage

First day at Sea

We set sail from Encenada last night at about 1800 (6PM). The students were very excited to be underway. They had had a couple long days of travelling to San Diego and then shuttling from San Diego to Encenada, so most were quite tired. The last students arrived about 1600, which was followed by the mandatory lifeboat drill and then we set off.

For many students, the excitement of being underway very quickly changed from this is awesome to “what have a got myself into.” As soon as we cleared the Encenada breakwater the seas became much rougher. Although the sea state was not really that bad, for first time sailors it must have seemed like a gale. Suddenly it was difficult to walk straight or do the simplest things.

We spend the evening doing introductions. The Academic and Executive deans introduced all of the faculty and staff. This included the formal introduction of His Grace, The Most Reverend Desmond Tutu. who will be sailing with us for about three months. I was very fortunate to have met His Grace earlier in the day and had a wonderful conversation. His interaction with the students is amazing. He allows the students to call him “Arch.”

Along the voyage I will do my very best to do a daily update around noon local time and provide our location.

Thank you so much for chronicling your journey. My in-laws are on board as well and so I’ll be able to follow their adventure thanks to you. I hope you make their acquaintance, (John and Emily Miller), as I’m sure you’ll have a lot to talk about.